To combat the serious threat that Fall Armyworm (FAW) poses to food security in Africa, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Government of China, launched the South-South Cooperation (SSC) project titled “Strengthening Inter-Regional Cooperation for Sustainable FAW Management through South-South Cooperation.” Since its rollout in Kenya and Ghana in 2024, the project has made significant strides in advancing technological innovation, enhancing national capacity and promoting environmentally sustainable pest management solutions.

High-level engagement to review progress and deepen collaboration

From 3 to 4 July 2025, a delegation led by Mr. Jiang Wensheng, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China visited Kenya to assess project outcomes. During the visit, Mr. Jiang and Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh Paul, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Agriculture, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Kenya, co-chaired the FAO-China–Kenya Tripartite Meeting on South-South Cooperation in Agriculture. All parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration and scaling up project impact. The Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Ms. Guo Haiyan also attended the meeting.

Advancing sustainable pest control through technology and capacity building

As part of the mission, the delegation visited the biological control laboratory at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Muguga. Established with technical assistance from experts from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the lab now serves as a cornerstone for sustainable FAW biological control in Kenya—supporting local rearing of natural enemies and field-level testing.

In Embu County, the delegation toured Integrated Pest Management (IPM) demonstration trail site and Farmer Field Schools (FFS), where Chinese technologies have been adapted to fit local needs. Key interventions include early warning systems, pest-tolerant maize varieties, seed treatments, pheromone traps, biopesticides, and precision application technologies. A FAW forecasting model developed by CAAS, integrated with community-based monitoring, enables a robust “monitoring–early warning–response” system. Over 1,000 lead farmers have been trained, extending integrated control practices to more than 500 hectares of farmland.

A scalable model for south-south cooperation

The project reflects a successful tripartite model under FAO’s coordination, leveraging the complementary strengths of Chinese and African partners. Experts from CAAS have conducted technical missions to Kenya and Ghana, while African counterparts have received specialized training in China—fostering mutual learning and technical exchange.

Kenya’s first mass-rearing facility for FAW natural enemies, launched under the project, marks a significant milestone in localizing biological control strategies. Additionally, China's FAW prediction models have been integrated with African meteorological data, enabling pest forecasts 7–10 days in advance. The upgraded FAMEWS mobile app is now widely deployed, significantly enhancing field-level data collection and visualization.

Demonstration sites in Kitale, Embu, and Mabanga exemplify the localized adaptation of China’s integrated FAW management approach and provide scalable models for broader replication across the region.

Broad-based support and regional aspirations

The project has received strong support from Kenyan stakeholders. Ms. Teresia Karanja, Director of Plant Protection and Food Safety, emphasized the importance of continued collaboration on natural enemy production, technology integration, and regional capacity development. A local FFS participant remarked, “The South-South project has helped us secure both food and income. The mobile monitoring tools and expert training have truly made a difference.”

FAO Representative in Kenya, Ms. Nyabenyi Tito Tipo, credited the project’s success to strong synergy among FAO China and Kenya. “Through joint innovation, farmer-centered training, and digital tools, we’ve developed a scalable solution for sustainable pest management,” she noted. FAO remains committed to aligning Chinese innovations with African agricultural needs to strengthen regional resilience and advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Looking ahead, Kenyan stakeholders expressed strong interest in scaling up project achievements nationwide and sharing successful practices with other African countries. FAO together with the Chinese delegation welcomed these proposals and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen agricultural cooperation under the South-South Cooperation framework, contributing to sustainable agricultural transformation and global food security.